Hydroaeroplane



Fv C. SCHOENBUCHEF! Feb. 22, 1938.

Filed March 18, 1935 iNVENTOR wmfle M ATTORNEYS Feb. 22, 1938. F ECHOENBUCHER \EYDBCAZROFLANE XTTORNEY iNVENTOR Patented Feb. 22, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'IClaims.

This invention relates to improvements in hydroaeroplanes.

It is the primary object of the invention to provide the pontoon or pontoons of a hydro-aeroplane or flying boat with means streamlined in flight which is adjustable to a position for distributing the surface of the water. traversed by the pontoon to facilitate departure of the pontoon from the water, and also adjustable in alighting upon the water to comprise a brake for checking movement of the plane. as rapidly as may be desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device which will not interfere with the beaching of the plane and which is applicable to the existing pontoons of present planes for the purposes stated. There are many hydro-aeroplanes now in use which cannot arise from calm. water but require waves to interrupt :the surface sufficiently so that the air introduced beneath the pontoon will break the attraction of the water for the under surface of the pontoon to allow the pontoon to leave the water. By means of thepresent invention such existing pontoons and others subsequently built may be equipped to disrupt the water surface and to introduce air therebeneath to break the surface film so that the pontoon can leave the water under all conditions. As distinguished from other devices heretofore built so into pontoons for this general purpose, the present device presents a substantially smooth anduninterrupted surface to the air while the plane is in flight and is retractable sufficiently to permit the plane to be beached as aforesaid.

Another object of the invention is to provide, where desired, a special braking device which, while in flight, may be elevated to comprise an airfoil between the pontoons and which is adjustable as to its height so that it may be moved to compensate for different plane loadings and for different requirements of use.

In the drawings the operating connections are, of course, illustrated diagrammatically.

Figure l is a side elevation of a hydro-aeroplane embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary front elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through one of the pontoons on an enlarged scale.

Figure 4 is a detail in rear elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is a detail on an enlarged scale showing the mechanism which operates the combined airfoil and braking surface incorporated between *the .pontoons.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

The present invention is not concerned with the elements which comprise the aeroplane proper, these being of any conventional or desired 5 construction.

To support the fuselage 6 of the aeroplane while the plane is on the water there is provided a pair of pontoons I which are generally of conventional design. In accordance with the present invention, however, each pontoon is provided beneath its stern portion with a pair of longitudinally extending and laterally spaced rails 8 secured to its bottom and having suflicient strength to support the pontoon when the plane is to be 15 beached. As above noted, these rails may be applied to existing pontoons and between them the surface agitating and braking mechanism now'to be described is housed.

Secured to the hollow pontoon between the rails Q0 8 is a channel 9 which is most clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Between the laterally spaced flanges of channel 9 extend a series of pintles l0 upon which are pivoted the vanes or blades l2. The distance between the pintles and the relative 25 length of the vanes or blades I2 is so chosen that the blades may be folded up to an overlapping relation like the scales of a fish. To further facilitate the manipulation of the blades tothis overlapping relation they are preferably arcu- 30 ately bowed as clearly appears from Figs. 1 and 8. Thus, when the blades are collapsed upon each other by pivotal movement upon their respective pintles, they present a continuous surface along the body of the pontoon which oflfers practically 35 no resistance to the movement of air thereover and is housed within the rails 8 to a depth sufficient to be secured against contact with the bottom when the rails are used to support the pontoons in the beaching of the plane. 40

The several vanes iii are preferably operated in unison. One form of operating connection which may be used for this purpose comprises a pair of rods II slotted to receive the several pintles l0, whereby to be guided therefrom and 46 to permit the longitudinal movement of the rods. Links i5 pivotally connected at intervals with the operating rods I4 are interconnected by bars l6 passing under the bottom of each of the vanes 12, whereby to serve to support the vanes and torso move them simultaneously between their open and closed positions when the bars I4 are reciprocated.

For reciprocating the bars I have shown slides l1 rigidly connected by arms it about thelreanof R35 the pontoon with the bars l4. Slides I! are guided by bearings I9. The forward bearing also accommodates a rock shaft 20 having arms 2| connected by links 22 with the respective bars I1 of both pontoons. A central arm 23 on this rock shaft is connected with an endless cable 24 guided over pulleys and extending into the fuselage where it can be manipulated by the operator to move the rock shaft in either direction for the opening or closing of the vanes l2 beneath the respective pontoons. As above noted, the showing of operating means is not intended to be more than diagrammatic.

It will be noted that the vanes l2 are preferably forwardly directed rather than rearwardly directed. It has been found by actual experiment that the vanes in the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 3 will actually destroy the adhesion which otherwise prevents the pontoon from rising from the water. Naturally, the degree to which the vanes will be moved downwardly for the performance of this function will depend upon the circumstances, and the position of the vanes is entirely within the control of the operator, so that they may be positioned as desired.

When the vanes are projected downwardly to the full extent permitted by the mechanism, they will be substantially at right angles to the bottom of the pontoon, and in this position they will serve very effectively to check the forward movement of the pontoon in the water, thus enabling the operator to bring his craft speedily to a standstill to avoid striking obstructions.

It will be noted that there are a number of bailles or vanes i2 provided, and that these are located near the stern of each pontoon. The angle at which a plane leaves the water is such that any means of destroying the aforesaid adhesion should be located at the stern, and it has also been found that a single vane is relatively ineffective. By the use of a number of vanes the total effect is multiplied much more than the numerical value of the vanes used.

Where additional braking effect is desired, I propose to employ a larger vane providing additional braking surface at 25 between the pontoon 1. Here there is nothing in which a vane can be housed during flight, and accordingly it is preferred that this vane should have the form of an airfoil in cross section, as shown in Fig. 5. The pintle 26 upon which the trailing edge of vane 25 is pivoted, is mounted on a bracket 21 which also carries the guide 28 in which the bar 29 is reciprocable for the adjustment of the vane. Links l5 identical to those previously described, are connected from the reciprocable bar 29 to a cross rod l5 beneath the vane 25 for the manipulation thereof. The cross rod IE will be secured to the vane in any desired manner, as by welding.

At its forward end the guide 28 is connected with another bracket 30, the two brackets being guided for vertical movement by means of vertically slidable shafts 3| mounted in suitable bearings from the adjacent pontoons. A rack 32 connected with the guide 28 is engaged by a pinion 33 on each end of the cross shaft 34, thereby enabling the entire mounting for vane 25 and the control mechanism therefor to be moved in a vertical direction. This permits the vane to be positioned where it is most effective for its braking function when the device is in the water, or to be lifted to such a level that it will not interfere with the free movement of the pontoon through the water, or to be positioned for flight where it will offer the least air resistance and the most effective lift. The shaft 34 is conveniently controlled by gearing 35 and vertical shaft 36 from the interior of the fuselage.

The angular position of the central vane 25 is controlled by means of the slide 38, spring 39, rack 40, sector 4|, lever 42, and cable 43, the latter leading over suitable pulleys to the fuselage. By means of the mechanism diagrammatically disclosed, the vane and airfoil 25 is adjustable between a substantially vertical position and a position approximately paralleling the axis of flight.

For braking purposes the functions of the vanes l2 and the vane 25 are identical, and if the braking requirements are not sufficiently great so that both sets of vanes are useful, either may be omitted. Where there are two laterally spaced pontoons as shown, and where each is equipped with vanes l2, important additional control of the movement of the hydro-aeroplane in the water may be secured by selectively operating the vanes of one pontoon or the other to braking position to retard the movement of that pontoon while the vanes l2 of the other pontoon are retracted to permit such other pontoon to move freely through the water. Where the controls are organized to permit of this selective actuation of the vanes on the diiferent pontoons no rudder is necessary for guidance of the craft in the water.

Entirely apart from their braking function, the vanes l2 are of the greatest importance in enabling any pontoon to free itself from the water regardless of the condition of the surface. While it is preferred that the vanes be directed forwardly for this last function, they may, for various reasons, be adjusted straight downwardly or to rearwardly inclined positions if desired.

I claim:

1. The combination with a pontoon, of a plurality of vane means adjustable with reference to the under surface of the pontoon between positions of mutual overlap in approximately parallelism to the path of pontoon movement and positions materially divergent from such path in a downward and forward direction.

2. The combination with a series of transversely extending pivot means beheath its stern end, of a series of vanes fulcrumed on said means beneath the pontoon, each vane being longer than the spacing of said means in a series and projecting forwardly from its respective pivot means, whereby said vanes may be folded to overlap each other with their free ends projecting forwardly from their respective pivot means, each of said vanes being convexly bowed in a direction to present their concave surfaces uppermost when thus overlapped.

3. In a device of the character described, a sea plane pontoon having beneath its stern end and in combination therewith, a plurality of vanes longitudinally spaced from each other along the bottom of the pontoon and each projecting downwardly and forwardly therefrom.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination with a pontoon provided with a downwardly opening channel in its bottom and having rail means extending longitudinally at the opposite sides of the channel, of pintles spanning the channel and vanes mounted on said pintles and having sufficient length with respect to the spacing between pintles so that said vanes may be oscillated about their respective pintles to positions of overlap with respect to each other, and means for controlling the position of said vanes between such position of overlap and posipontoon having a tions wherein said vanes are downwardly directed from said pontoon with their free ends below the bottom of said channel.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with a pair of spaced pontoons, of a braking member pivoted therebetween and oscillatable between an approximately horizontal position and an approximately upright position at substantially the level of the pontoons, wherein the water between pontoons is engaged.

6. The combination with an aeroplane, of at least one pontoon provided beneath its stern portion with longitudinally extending rails, pintles transversely disposed between said rails, and vanes oscillatable upon said pintles from a position of downward projection to a position of forward projection therefrom, said vanes being adapted to facilitate the movement of the pontoon in leaving the surface of the water.

'7. In a device of the character described, the combination with an aeroplane, of at least one pontoon having beneath its surface a series of vanes, each of which is curvilinear with its concave vanes normally uppermost, and each of which is provided with means pivotally connecting its rear margin with the bottom of the pontoon, and mechanism operatively connected with the several vanes for controlling their angular adjustment about said pivotal connecting means toward a position of downward and forward inclination, whereby to facilitate the separation of said pontoon from the surface of the water in flight, the curvilinear overlap of said vanes being adapted to reduce resistance to motion of the pontoons.

FRANK C. SCHOENBUCHER. 

